Flat panel field emission displays (FPFEDs) are known. See, for instance, the report on page 11 of the December 1991 issue of Semiconductor International. See also C. A. Spindt et al., IEEE transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 36(1), pp. 225-228, incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, such a display typically comprises a fiat vacuum cell with a matrix array of microscopic field emitter cathode tips formed on the back plate of the cell, and a phosphor-coated anode on the front plate of the cell. Between cathode and anode is a third element, frequently referred to as "grid" or "gate".
As depicted schematically in the above referenced Semiconductor International item, the anode structure for a color display exemplarily comprises a glass plate with transparent conductive material (e.g., indium-tin-oxide or ITO) thereon, with the conductive material patterned into three sets of stripes, each covered with a cathodoluminescent (e.g., emitting red, green or blue light) material, with the same cathode used for the three colors of the pixel. See, for instance, also T. Leroux et al., SID 91 Digest, p. 437; P. Vaudaine et al., IEDM 91, p. 197; R. Meyer, Technical Digest of IVMC 91, Nagahama 1991, p. 6 all incorporated herein by reference. However, other arrangements are possible, as will be discussed in more detail below.
Anode structures for prior art color FPFEDs typically are made by a relatively costly, difficult to control process that typically involves photolithography and selective deposition of electrically charged phosphor particles.
In view of the potential commercial importance of color FPFEDs, it would be desirable to have available displays having an anode structure that can be readily manufacturable at relatively low cost. This application discloses such displays, and methods of making them.